Girling Brake Hoses

[jake_a]

So, got myself a bargain on ebay; a set of all 4 Lucas Girling NOS brake hoses for my 6.

 

Thing is, these are dated by a stamp on the tubing and these range from 1980 to 1984! They look fine, but I wouldn't use a tyre from 1984 so should I use a hose that is that old?

 

I think I've answered my own question there...................

Edited November 3, 2010 by jake_a

[stuart]

I wouldnt

Stuart.

[simonjrwinter]

Unless they were sold as "not for use on a vehicle" I would say you have a pretty good case for returning them as "not fit for purpose" and getting your money back.

 

Simon

[Alec Pringle]

The composition of brake hose rubber (and for that matter brake system seals) is very different from that of tyres, and tends to deteriorate at a much slower rate - especially if said rubber goods are stored in the cool dark recesses of an average motor factor's shelves. That applies more to items produced prior to the early 90s, incidentally, which was when newer 'enviromentally friendly' rubber mixes started to appear.

 

If there is a problem with the hoses then it should be apparent to the Mk1 eyeball and fingertips, and it will certainly be immediately obvious once fitted - by the feel of the brake pedal. I wouldn't dismiss the hoses entirely just by virtue of age, apply common sense. Personally I'd rather have an ageing but good pair of hoses tucked away in the 'touring spares kit' carried only on long journeys than no spares at all.

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

[jake_a]

Cheers all. Alec, there is logic in what you say, especially about the grade of rubber (damn tree huggers !).

 

They seem fine, are all boxed, and the rubber is smooth and supple (Mmmmm, smooth and supple..........).

 

Thing is, a front hose needs doing (been an advisory for the last 2 MOTs ) so the NOS wouldn't be a spare, it'd be going on the car! The good thing is that when I restored the car (which is ex USA) I kept the tandem braking system set-up so that I would theoretically never lose all braking, though wouldn't fancy stopping on just the rear drums...........

[Alec Pringle]

Hi Jake,

 

so you paid £8.75 inc P&P for a set of 4 hoses . . . . not a lot of money. Much as we might all wish to replace everything as needed with super duper new upgraded whatever, in the real world make do and mend is more often a budgetary necessity, tempered with common sense.

 

If one hose is going on your car, will the rest be that far behind ? Why not just change all 4, and renew the brake fluid. Then budget to replace with new Goodridge braided hoses in say 3 years time when the brake fluid will be due for changing again. That would seem to me to be a common sense budget approach, and you have 3 years to save up for the braided hoses, which are maybe £60+/set ?

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

[jake_a]

Hi Jake,

 

so you paid £8.75 inc P&P for a set of 4 hoses . . . . not a lot of money. Much as we might all wish to replace everything as needed with super duper new upgraded whatever, in the real world make do and mend is more often a budgetary necessity, tempered with common sense.

 

If one hose is going on your car, will the rest be that far behind ? Why not just change all 4, and renew the brake fluid. Then budget to replace with new Goodridge braided hoses in say 3 years time when the brake fluid will be due for changing again. That would seem to me to be a common sense budget approach, and you have 3 years to save up for the braided hoses, which are maybe £60+/set ?

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

 

 

True, true Alec.

 

I used to run my TR on much more of a budget (i.e. less money!) than I have to these days, though I'm still nowhere near the "blank cheque" position of some! When I bought the car off my Dad in 1993 I was only 22 and it was my daily drive. I used to park it in an open air car park in the middle of Birkenhead come rain or shine!

 

I started getting the bits together for a rebuild in 1994 and discovered that a certain TR specialist in the North of England would give me credit at a good rate if I delivered saloon gearboxes and diffs to them. Think the going rate was £100 for an o/d gearbox and £70 for a 3.45 diff.

 

I used to trawl the scrapyards of Manchester, Merseyside, and the Wirral for scrap 2000s and 2500s and take the bits home in my 2000 saloon with the rear seat removed. I once found a Pi and bought the entire drive train (engine and Pi equipment, box, and diff) for £40! When I'd built up a few I'd drive to the specialists, drop them off, and pick up my credit note. Said units would then be refurbed to TR spec.

 

In the end this paid for a recon box. recon J type od, recon 3.7 diff with new CWP, refurbed seats, and many other things. About £1500 worth of stuff for about £500 outlay. Happy days.

 

Jake

 

ps I'm sure some of you must be driving round with one of "my" units on your car!

Edited November 3, 2010 by jake_a